A Day Off and a Bag of Chinese Food
by Olivia26
Summary: Olivia and Elliot deal with the problems that occurred during “Wrath” EO friendship


TITLE: A Day Off and a Bag of Chinese Food  
  
AUTHOR: Liv  
  
RATING: PG  
  
FEEDBACK: Please?  
  
CLASSIFICATION: Olivia/Elliot friendship UST  
  
SPOILERS: "Wrath" Season 3...see it first, you won't know what the hell I'm talking about  
  
DISTRUBUTION STATEMENT: If anyone is so inclined to post this anywhere, let me know about it first...I promise you'll get the green light...and I'll be flattered  
  
SUMMARY: Olivia and Elliot deal with the problems that occurred during "Wrath"  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Personally, I don't think this is my best work, but I'll post it anyway. I hope you enjoy anyway.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters on SVU, I'm only playing with them for the time being and will return them in one piece...I promise. ***********************************************************************  
  
Olivia Benson sat on her couch, legs tucked up beneath her listening to the rain falling outside her window. She wasn't sure how long it had been since she started crying softly, but was certain that it would be a while before she stopped. Never before had she felt so betrayed, and certainly never by Elliot. She knew he really did have her best interest as heart, but even that wasn't enough to ease the pain she was feeling.  
  
He was now knocking on her door, but she refused to open it. She couldn't deal with him right now-not without doing something she'd really regret later. When the knocking stopped, the phone began ringing. Olivia ignored it too, for the same reason. The nicest thing she could manage to say to him at the crime scene was, "You leave me alone"-and it would certainly be worse than that if she opened that door right now.  
  
Moments later, her apartment went silent-save for the falling rain. Olivia awoke several hours later, not quite remembering dozing off. Robotically, she began getting dressed for work, then thought better of it. She picked up the phone and called Captain Cragen.  
  
"Captain Cragen, Special Victims Unit," he answered.  
  
"Cap, it's Olivia. I'm not coming in today or tomorrow. I need some time after what happened yesterday," she explained.  
  
"No problem. You'll be on 'ass-duty' for a week anway-pending IAB's investigation."  
  
"I know. Thanks Cap. Oh, and tell Elliot not to worry-or call for that matter."  
  
"Will do. Take care of yourself, Olivia."  
  
"I will."  
  
She hung up the phone and plopped back down on the couch and sighed loudly. She flipped on the television and aimlessly searched for something to take her mind off of how she was feeling. She finally settled on I Love Lucy, even though she'd already seen every episode half a dozen times. She pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and curled up under it. She watched Lucy and Ethel working in the chocolate factory for a while, then fell into a restless sleep.  
  
When she woke up later, feeling just as tired as before, she realized it was already dark outside. Consulting the clock, she realized it was nearing 8 pm. Groaning, Olivia pulled herself out of the warm cocoon the blanket had formed and walked into the kitchen. She searched through her cabinets looking for something to quell her sudden hunger. She cursed out loud and slammed the last cabinet shut, exceptionally annoyed with herself for forgetting to go the grocery store. She pulled open her junk drawer and rummaged around through the assortment of menus she had collected over the years. She decided on Chinese food and placed her usual order-chicken and broccoli and egg drop soup. She resumed her previous position on the couch and anxiously awaited her food's arrival.  
  
About a half hour later, the buzzer sounded. She buzzed the delivery guy in and grabbed some money from her purse. A few moments later, he knocked on her door. When she opened the door, she was surprised to find Elliot, holding her bag on Chinese.  
  
He offered her the bag and said, "I rode the elevator up with the delivery guy...just thought I'd give him a hand."  
  
She sighed and opened the door fully to let him in. "Elliot, I'm not sure this is the time to be doing this. I don't want to say anything that I'm going to regret now, lord knows I've already done that enough with this case," she explained.  
  
"'Liv, you know me well enough to know that I'm not going to request a new partner based on anything you say. We've had our share of fights before. I just think that we really need to talk about this thing with Plummer."  
  
"You're right; we do need to talk about this. Now is a good a time as any. Have a seat," she said, motioning to the couch.  
  
He removed his coat and threw it over a chair, then sat down on the couch. Olivia put her Chinese on the kitchen table, then returned with two bottles of beer. "I thought you might need this. I know I do."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
She took a long sip from her beer and let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Look, Elliot, I know that you ordered that detail because you care and were only looking out for me, but you went behind my back to do it-that's what hurt me the most. You are the only person I trust completely and then suddenly, I couldn't trust you anymore."  
  
"You're right-I did what I did because I care about you and I couldn't stand the thought of you getting hurt because of that bastard. I never doubted your ability to handle yourself against Plummer, I was worried because I didn't know what he was capable of...no one did. All I knew what the he knew where you live and he'd killed four innocent people to get your attention and now that he had it, the next logical step would be to come after you directly," he explained, then took a drink.  
  
She nodded, understanding exactly what he was saying. "To tell you the truth, Elliot, I probably would have done the same thing for you, even if you told me not to."  
  
"Olivia, I know what I betrayed your trust in me as your partner, but if I had it to do again, I wouldn't change a thing. My job is to watch your back and that's exactly what I did. I know you would have done the same thing if you were in my spot-there's no doubt in my mind about that. I hope that we can work past this and get back on track. I'm sorry I hurt you, but I'm not sorry for protecting you," he said sadly.  
  
A pregnant pause followed. "Elliot, I trust you with my everything and two days ago, I let your concern and my personal feeling threaten that. I was more upset over the fact that completely disregarded my wishes than the fact that I killed man and that scares me. I said some pretty harsh things after I found out about the detail and I'm sorry. That comment about the Rat Squad was completely out of line. I need you here with me...I know I would have gone completely out of my mind if you didn't rein me from time to time. I need that connection we have back," she replied.  
  
He grabbed her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. "That connection will *always* be there-never doubt that. I might get a little hazy from time to time, but it will never fade away; that I *promise* you."  
  
Elliot wiped Olivia's cheek, ridding of the single tear that had fallen. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hair. "I'm so sorry for hurting you, 'Liv, but you wouldn't let me watch your back for you. I'm not used to having my partner stop me from doing my job," he said quietly.  
  
"I'm sorry too. I've been pretty short with you and the guys since this whole thing started. And I should have accepted the detail when it was offered, for everyone's sake. Sometimes, I just get so wrapped up in making sure that I get treated like 'one of the guys' that I forget that we all need some extra eyes watching out for us sometimes," she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled into his chest.  
  
He lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes, "Are we okay now? I can't stand another sleepless night."  
  
"Yeah, I think so. You know, I'm not sure why you put up with me sometimes, Stabler."  
  
"Well, that would be for one of two reasons: 1) you put up with just as much of my shit or 2) you're easy on the eyes. It's your choice," he said with a smile.  
  
She smacked him playfully on the arm and laughed. "You are *such* a man sometimes." She got up from the couch and headed toward the kitchen.  
  
"You're lucky I'm in a sharing mood tonight. You want some Chinese? I'm sure you already know what it is," she asked pulled two plates and forks out, already knowing what the answer would be.  
  
"Me, turn down food? Come on now, 'Liv, you know me better than that."  
  
"Good, I'm starving...let's eat," she brought the food over the couch and the two hungrily dug in.  
  
Olivia and Elliot were both glad they had smoothed things out between them. Neither one had ever been good at staying mad at the other for long. Regardless of what they fought about, they always worked it out in the end. Even if it did sometimes take a day off and a bag of Chinese food. 


End file.
